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Pony beads are plastic or glass beads similar to seed beads, but a lot more fuller in size. They are popular amongst both adults and kids as they are not hard to work with and come in a wide range of colors, finishes and shapes. Pony beads are often used in hair fashions, bead bracelets, ornaments, children’s crafts and jewelry making.

Pioneers such as Lewis and Clark brought European pony beads to North America. These beads ended upbeing called pony beads because they were delivered by the Pony Express. Native American females used glass pony beads, along with seed and crow beads, on fringes on leather fabrics and moccasins. They also used pony beads in addition to other beads to fashion necklaces for their tribe and neck gear for the horses.

Pony beads are known as barrel beads in the United Kingdom because the earliestshape of pony beads is a barrel-shape. Nowadays, however, pony beads are available in many other shapes. Beads that are shaped into hearts are popular for hair clips and jewelry, as well as butterfly and animal shapes.

One of the great things about pony beads is that they come in a wide variety of colors. There are numerous shades in the same color family so you can come up with some pretty sophisticated looks. For example, you can use them on the ends of tiny braids in hair in a bunch of different shades of the same color, such as all greens. Or, you can make beautiful spoke-shaped ornaments by piling pony beads of the same color family onto corsage pins and then scattering the finished pins out from a center piece of craft foam or cork.

Another great fact about pony beads is that they are often quite simple and fun for kids to use. The plastic variety is inexpensive and the large holes make these beads simple for children to work with. Younger children can thread them to make simple jewelry, while older kids can weave them to make the fun animal-shaped “Beadies” key chain accessories and other cool crafts. The transparent pony beads also make alluring woven sun catchers to hang in windows.

Takara Alexis is a freelance writer and a craft hobbyist. Visit here to learn about beads and here to learn about bead bracelets? Discover great, American made items that are fully compatible with all popular bead bracelet brands!. Also published at What Exactly Are Pony Beads?.